Yogi govt plans to bring ordinance to ban conversion to Islam

Chennai, Oct 12: Actor-turned-politician Khushbu Sundar, one of the Congress's most prominent defenders, quit the party today and joined the BJP just months before the Tamil Nadu polls. In her resignation letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, she wrote that she felt "pushed and suppressed" by people who had no connect with ground reality.

"Few elements seated at higher level within the party, people who have no connectivity with the ground reality or public recognition are dictating terms and people like me who wanted to work for the party sincerely, are being pushed and suppressed," Khushbu Sundar, 50, wrote.

"After a long thorough thought process over a period of time, have decided to end my association with the party," she said. Even before the letter emerged, the Congress had dropped her as spokesperson. The party said her exit would have "zero impact" in Tamil Nadu.

"If the nation has to move forward, then we need somebody like Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take the country in the right direction," Khushbu Sundar told reporters after joining the BJP.

For the BJP, Khushbu Sundar is a big acquisition in the southern state that remains largely out of its grasp.

She had been with the Congress for close to six years since 2014.

Though she was the Congress's visible face in TV debates, Ms Sundar's political career was seen to have stagnated, with the party out of power since 2014.

The BJP is expected to give her a big job for the 2021 assembly election in Tamil Nadu. There are unconfirmed reports of a Rajya Sabha seat. "Khushbu will change the perception of the BJP in Tamil Nadu," said the BJP's Tamil Nadu unit.

Ms Sundar had joined the DMK in 2010 when it was in power. She took the step after playing legendary rationalist leader Periyar's wife Maniammai in a biographical film largely funded by the Tamil Nadu government. At the time, she had said, "I think I made the right decision. I love to serve people. I want to work for the betterment of women."

Four years later in 2014, when she quit the Dravidian party, she said, "Hard work for the DMK had been a one-way path." The same year she joined the Congress after meeting Sonia Gandhi. The actor had then said, "I finally feel I am home. Congress is the only party that could do good for the people of India and unite the country."

Her Congress outing soured rapidly when the party did not field her in last year's national election. The DMK-Congress alliance swept Tamil Nadu. Ms Sundar was not chosen for the Rajya Sabha either.

In her letter to Sonia Gandhi, Ms Sundar said she had joined the Congress when "it was at its lowest" and had been defeated in the 2014 Lok Sabha national elections. "I did not walk into the party for any monetary gains, name or fame," she said.

As actor, Khushbu Sundar enjoyed a sizeable fan following. Her fans famously built a temple for her. But she also faced a huge controversy over her comments on chastity.

With Tamil Nadu due for elections in eight months, the BJP, which lacks any charismatic leader in the state, hopes to improve its presence with Khushbu.

The party has also been getting lukewarm vibes from the state's ruling AIADMK on their alliance, which crashed in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The AIADMK is also wary of speculation that the BJP could tacitly back superstar Rajinikanth, who is expected to finally launch his party ahead of the polls.

New Delhi, Oct 15: From being the people's President to spearheading the development of the most significant Indian missiles, late President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam has contributed to the development of the country in different spheres.

As an aerospace scientist, Kalam worked with India's two major space research organisations - Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

While, his work in the development and operationalisation of Indigenous guided missiles - AGNI and PRITHVI - earned him the title of the 'Missile Man of India,' there are many more ways in which Kalam has helped India in the division of science and technology.

On the 89th birth anniversary of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, here are 5 of his scientific contributions to the country: -

1. Directed the project to develop India's first Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV)

Back in 1980s, when India had hardly dreamt of having its indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV), Dr Kalam's over 10-year-long hard work as the project director for the development of the indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle at ISRO led to the ground-breaking scientific development.

It was in July 1980, that India's SLV-III successfully deployed the Rohini satellite in the near-Earth orbit leading to the country becoming a member of the exclusive Space Club.

2. Directed projects for the development of ballistic missiles

Kalam also headed the projects Devil and Valiant which had the aim of developing ballistic missiles using the technology behind the successful SLV program. Under mission Kalam with other projects, members developed many missiles including AGNI which is an intermediate-range ballistic missile and PRITHVI which is a surface-to-surface missile.

3. Headed multiple nuclear tests at Pokhran

Serving as the Chief Scientific Adviser to the then Prime Minister, Kalam played a major role in heading the Pokhran-II nuclear testing leading to him being known as the best nuclear scientist of the country at that time. The nuclear testing under the supervision of Kalam during the period of July 1992 to December 1999 made India a nuclear-armed state.

4. He worked in making healthcare accessible to all

Working jointly with cardiologist Soma Raju, the late President developed a cost-effective coronary stent 'Kalam-Raju Stent' which helped in making healthcare accessible to all.

5. Developed the rugged 'Kalam-Raju tablet'

The duo of Kalam and Soma Raju later in 2012 designed a rugged tablet computer for better health care administration in the rural pockets of the country. They termed it the 'Kalam-Raju tablet.'

For his work in the stream of science and politics, the 11th President was also awarded India's highest civilian honour or the Bharat Ratna.

Kalam breathed his last on July 27, 2015, while delivering a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management Shillong when he collapsed and died from a cardiac arrest.

Five years after his demise, his contributions are still remembered as some of the best scientific and technological developments in the country.

Mangaluru, Oct 15: Work on the third of four proposed regional centres mooted by Bengaluru-based Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) has commenced in the coastal city.

Mangalore North MLA and Dental Council of India (DCI) National Vice President Dr Y Bharath Shetty laid the foundation stone for the project on October 14. The setting up of the regional centre will benefit medical and paramedical students from Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Chikkamagaluru and Kodagu districts, he added.

Dr Bharath Shetty said RGUHS Vice Chancellor Dr Sacchdananda had given approval for setting up of the regional centre, while Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner had handed over the land near Maryhill for the proposed centre.

The regional centre will come up on two acres of land with a state-of-the-art simulation centre, online library, digital valuation centre, dental research centre, physiotherapy rehabilitation centre. In addition, it will have a full-fledged auditorium, sports ground, shuttle, squash, basketball, volleyball, tennis indoor stadium, gym, and a swimming pool.

Locals will be allowed to use sports amenities at a concessional fee, the MLA said.

RGUHS Syndicate member Dr Shivacharan Shetty said the regional centre of the university will come up at four places in Karnataka.

For the first time, a dental research centre will come up at the regional centre in Mangaluru.

Syndicate member Iftikar Ali, and others were also present for the ceremony.